Crime in Philadelphia discussion (Republic, Oklahoma: middle schools, statistics, safety)

[cpomp]

This is a disturbing story from the burbs...

One comment I don't understand from a nearby resident below. Maybe I am reading into it too much, but disturbing crime is not Philadelphia specific. A quick Google search brings up disturbing crime in every major metro, including a child killed in crossfire in a fancy mall outside of Atlanta last year. Crimes like this in the burbs are rare, but a sad situation all around.

$5,000 Reward Offered In Search For Rafiq Thompson Accused Of Shooting, Killing Pregnant Ex-Girlfriend At Gas Station Near King Of Prussia Mall

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/20...-prussia-mall/

"“Everything’s just getting crazy around here, all over Philly, something like that is just unnecessary,” said resident Lawrence Martin."

[selhars]

For the good of the thread -- and before mods step in -- let's try to get back to the topic at hand, and away from personal attacks.

I know it's hard sometimes -- and crime can be an emotional and personal issue for some. But let's try to comment by staying logical and cogent on the issue at hand without vitriol.

Sometimes by not responding in kind the other person can be shown for who and what they are, without it actually being pointed out. I hope that none of us gets so angry here that we are pulled toward our base nature, and away from away from intelligent, reasonable discussion which might actually lead to solutions regarding decreasing crime and increasing prevention.

Just my .02.

[toobusytoday]

Please just report the trolls.

[bridge12]

Originally Posted by cpomp

This is a disturbing story from the burbs...

One comment I don't understand from a nearby resident below. Maybe I am reading into it too much, but disturbing crime is not Philadelphia specific. A quick Google search brings up disturbing crime in every major metro, including a child killed in crossfire in a fancy mall outside of Atlanta last year. Crimes like this in the burbs are rare, but a sad situation all around.

$5,000 Reward Offered In Search For Rafiq Thompson Accused Of Shooting, Killing Pregnant Ex-Girlfriend At Gas Station Near King Of Prussia Mall

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/20...-prussia-mall/

"“Everything’s just getting crazy around here, all over Philly, something like that is just unnecessary,” said resident Lawrence Martin."

For the most part, people only have the perspective of their own communities. A few months ago, I joked with my inlaws (from the Charlotte area) about moving to Charlotte. They were aghast at the thought, they legitimately believed crime in Charlotte was much worse than in Philadelphia. In truth, crime is up pretty much everywhere - most metros, most cities, most suburbs.

[Angus215]

This isn't rocket science. There are 3 main drivers of the recent rise in violent crime. Homicides peaked in Philly at 500 in 1990. From there, they consistently declined to 277 by 2016. That was the year Kenney was elected (Krasner was elected DA the following year). By no coincidence, homicides skyrocketed by about 30% to 356 just 3 years later in 2019. Then came the BLM riots of 2020, and the ensuing anarchy endorsed by the Mayor, PPD and DA's office. As a result, homicides exploded by an additional 60% to 562 by 2021.

Due to Kenney, Krasner, and the BLM riots/movement, murders in Philly increased by 100% over the 5 year period from when Kenney was elected to last year. This is what happens when you elect weak-on-crime progressive liberals who pander to the lowest elements of society (and those who make excuses for them) in order to win elections. If you voted for Kenney or Krasner, YOU are the problem.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by Angus215

This isn't rocket science. There are 3 main drivers of the recent rise in violent crime. Homicides peaked in Philly at 500 in 1990. From there, they consistently declined to 277 by 2016. That was the year Kenney was elected (Krasner was elected DA the following year). By no coincidence, homicides skyrocketed by about 30% to 356 just 3 years later in 2019. Then came the BLM riots of 2020, and the ensuing anarchy endorsed by the Mayor, PPD and DA's office. As a result, homicides exploded by an additional 60% to 562 by 2021.

Due to Kenney, Krasner, and the BLM riots/movement, murders in Philly increased by 100% over the 5 year period from when Kenney was elected to last year. This is what happens when you elect weak-on-crime progressive liberals who pander to the lowest elements of society (and those who make excuses for them) in order to win elections. If you voted for Kenney or Krasner, YOU are the problem.

Fair enough to blame Kenney and Krasner in general. However, the lockdowns exacerbated already tenuous situations with the (previously working) poor, forcing people to stay with their domestic abusers, leaving kids with little to do except start social media beefs with fatal consequences, and generally take a toll on and already struggling populace. The George Floyd murder resonated with a community long dealing with police brutality and the protests were the final straw. I don't know how to quantify the effect the the riots that spun out of the protests here compared to any other city with riots that wasn't Minneapolis, but sadly Philadelphia was one of many cities that dealt with that costly reaction; I don't know if Kenney and Krasner should be pinned for that specifically.

[cpomp]

^ My hope is that the pendulum will swing back to the center in terms of supporting and investing in the police and prosecuting crime. It appears to be heading that.

Not saying the city can't also develop initiatives to get guns off the street, youth involved in healthy activities, improving police relations with locals, etc.

But I'm hoping the idea of "defund police", bail reform, wild west, etc., starts to fade as people realize the consequences of these decisions.

[bridge12]

I didn't realize Kenney and Krasner were also responsible for the even larger increases in crime in places like New Orleans, Cincinnatti, Las Vegas, and Dallas. Gasp, even Oklahoma City, with its Republican mayor, had a larger increase in homicides than Philadelphia: https://wallethub.com/edu/cities-homicide-rate/94070

This isn't just as simple as Kenney and Krasner, left versus right, Democrat versus Republican.

And we never defunded the police in Philadelphia - to the contrary, they have received an increase in budget every year that Kenney has been in office. There is not one elected official in the City of Philadelphia that has even advocated for defunding the police.

[Angus215]

Originally Posted by bridge12

I didn't realize Kenney and Krasner were also responsible for the even larger increases in crime in places like New Orleans, Cincinnatti, Las Vegas, and Dallas. Gasp, even Oklahoma City, with its Republican mayor, had a larger increase in homicides than Philadelphia: https://wallethub.com/edu/cities-homicide-rate/94070

This isn't just as simple as Kenney and Krasner, left versus right, Democrat versus Republican.

And we never defunded the police in Philadelphia - to the contrary, they have received an increase in budget every year that Kenney has been in office. There is not one elected official in the City of Philadelphia that has even advocated for defunding the police.

They didn’t defund the police in Philly, they just stopped enforcing the law.

Almost all those other cities you listed are run by similar progressive liberals. Aside from that, the data in the link is comparing Q1 2022 homicide rates with Q1 ‘21 and Q1 ‘20. I’m talking about the 5 year period from when Kenney took office through last year.

[bridge12]

Originally Posted by Angus215

They didn’t defund the police in Philly, they just stopped enforcing the law.

Almost all those other cities you listed are run by similar progressive liberals. Aside from that, the data in the link is comparing Q1 2022 homicide rates with Q1 ‘21 and Q1 ‘20. I’m talking about the 5 year period from when Kenney took office through last year.

Oklahoma City is run by Republicans. Why did the crime rate increase so much there, more than in many other cities? How could Kenney and Krasner do that?

You're right that the lazy police in large part stopped doing their jobs, though. They signed up to do the job, they should actually do it!